Despite a failure for Sen. Ted Cruz in the Senate today, where Democrats voted to fully fund the Affordable Care Act in the continuing resolution, Cruz has emerged as a leader of the GOP in the past week, usurping other rising stars for the top spot.

According to a Public Policy Polling release, a new national poll finds that Cruz is now the top choice for Republican primary voters to be their presidential candidate in 2016.

Cruz, along with potential presidential candidates Rep. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has been at the forefront of the budget debates, particularly on Obamacare. PPP notes that since the polling place’s last national poll, Cruz gained 8 percentage points, while the other Republicans have barely changed.

In the poll, Cruz leads with 20 percent favorability to Paul’s 17 percent. Following that, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie had 14 percent, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush had 11 percent and Rubio and Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., were tied at 10 percent.

PPP also asked survey responders how Cruz stands in his party and found 49 percent trust Cruz the most, compared to GOP leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who only gained a 13 percent rate of trust.

Cruz seems to have embraced this leadership role, as he reportedly told House Republicans Thursday night to go against Speaker John Boehner’s long-term fiscal plan and instead remain focused on the continuing resolution fight to defund Obamacare.